1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to virtual reality and motion capture, and, more particularly, to systems and program products which allow persons to interact with real and artificial environments using motion capture.
2. Background
Various techniques and technologies exist which allow users to interact with or analyze their environment. For example, motion capture techniques are used in the fields of sports, medicine, and entertainment, especially video gaming and animation. In sports, for example, motion capture enables a golfer's swing to be digitally recorded for analysis. In medicine, orthopedic rehabilitation can employ motion capture to provide feedback to the patient, illustrating correct or incorrect techniques with the patient's movements during walking, for example. In animation, motion capture allows for an actor's movements and even facial expressions to be digitally recorded in a computer model. Later, animators use the actor's recorded motions as the basis for the motions of a computer-generated character. Likewise, video games use motion capture to facilitate the animation of life-like characters within the games.
Virtual reality technologies allow a user to interact with a computer-simulated environment. Most virtual reality environments rely on computer screens or stereoscopic displays and are primarily visual experiences. A popular example of virtual reality technology is a flight simulator video game, in which the player pilots a virtual aircraft in a computer-simulated environment.
Telepresence refers to technologies which allow the user to experience, or be present at, a remote location. For example, telepresence includes a remote video camera in which the user can control the pan, tilt, and zoom, if the display is of sufficient size and quality to allow the user to feel present at the remote location.
None of these technologies alone provide a collaborative immersive environment for evaluating a design through interaction, virtual training on a task, and validating a simulation with a life video.